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Sony designing break-apart PS3 controller?

A tale of two controllers

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Have you ever broken your console’s controller into two because you were shot by virtual snipers just before completing a gruelling videogame? If so, Sony may have the answer: it’s rumoured that the electronics giant’s set to unveil a two section controller for the PlayStation 3.

According to a report by Gamesindustry.biz, unnamed sources have claimed that Sony is working on a “break-apart” controller that divides into two separate sections.

And if the unit immediately sounds like the Wii’s Remote and Nunchuck combo, then you won’t be surprised to hear that the moles have also claimed that each half of the new PS3 controller will contain an accelerometer for motion sensing.

The sources even appear to know that Sony’s already developed working units, which it’s thought to have shipped off to unknown developer partners.

Sony declined to comment on the rumours, but if the firm’s going to officially unveil the break-apart controller then next month’s E3 gaming conference – to be held in the US - would be the perfect opportunity for the company to hog the limelight.

By developing such a controller, Sony would be able to open the PS3 up to a wider audience of gamers seeking more physically interactive games, over and above first person shoot-‘em-ups or driving titles. So, in future, blockbuster videogame releases on the PS3, such as Grand Theft Auto IV, could be overshadowed by interactive dancing games or fitness titles, such as Wii Fit.

Sony’s not the first company to fall foul of such rumours. It’s already been claimed that Microsoft is secretly designing a Wii Remote-style motion controller for the Xbox 360, which could appear in stores by Christmas.